WEST CARTHAGE, New York (WWNY) – A village mayor says there needs to be a change in Jefferson County’s bed tax.
It comes as some town and village leaders call for short-term rental properties like Airbnb and Vrbo to pay the same 3 percent tax that hotels pay.
West Carthage Mayor Scott Burto has two thoughts on the subject.
He says if the tax is expanded, then villages should get a cut of that revenue. Currently, he says it’s only towns that receive money.
What Burto would rather see, however, is the bed tax reduced or eliminated.
“I think if we look at an opportunity to become more competitive in the tourism market, if we lower that bed tax and can generate more sales tax, then communities can use that to support police, fire, department of public works, infrastructure that are supporting those facilities now and not receiving any benefit towards that,” he said.
As for expanding the bed tax, Burto says, while the town of Champion shares what it gets with West Carthage now, that may not always be the case.
He says he’d like to see villages guaranteed a share.
Published by WWNYTV
[related_posts_by_tax posts_per_page="4" format="thumbnails" image_size="full" limit_year="1"]